'Peace Not War Japan' promo video

This is the official promotional video for the 'Peace Not War Japan' (PNWJ) compilation album, released in Japan in 2006 on Dynastic Records.

The video features clips from tracks featured on the album, including 'Hallelujah Jambo' by Cheryo & The Berovolas, 'Crevasse' by Hiroshima's And More, and 'Kaiki' by Hope - as well as some of the artwork featured in the collection. There's a few of my own photographs in there too.

Naturally, this would have been more effective to use as a promotional tool a year and a half ago, when the CD was released. However, when you're running a volunteer collective, a full-time job, a band, a writing gig and a whole bunch of travelling too, you don't always get the time to do everything that you want to do! As I'm leaving Japan very soon, this is part of my tying up all those loose ends before I go.

This clip was my first attempt at putting something together in Apple's iMovie and the first time I had the chance to do any video editing since 1995 - a long time away. Although I'm keen in future videos to try and steer away from Apple's obvious templates for slick-looking video effects, I'm still very impressed at what's possible with the program.

With a digital camera (a mobile phone even), a laptop and a YouTube account, anyone with the imagination to do so can make and distribute their own films. The democratisation of filmmaking - another moment brought to you by the digital age.

Learn about PNWJ here.

Shelf Life final Tokyo shows

After living in Tokyo for almost four and a half years, I will be leaving Japan next month to return to the UK. It is with some sadness that I leave this place, but also great excitement at the opportunities that lie ahead and a good sense of achievement at what I've done here. I'm sure that this blog will be leant on quite heavily as I deal with the transition.

To mark this departure, my band Shelf Life will be playing two final shows in Tokyo, one of which I'll also be supporting as Control K.

The first will be at Rubber Soul in Kokubunji on Saturday January 26th, the place where Shelf Life began. The Control K set will contain extracts from 'The Front Line (Redux)' album, along with some of my other work and a selection of tracks that I've heard and dug while I've been living here. Shelf Life will be playing material from our recently released 'Best Before End' album.

Entry is free. Doors open at 7pm, the music begins at 8pm. A link to a map for Rubber Soul can be found here.

The second and last show will be at Shinjuku Marz on Monday February 4th. Presented by Japonicus, there will be five bands in total playing, including Cassette from South Africa, and full DJ support. The show starts at 7pm. Tickets are available at 2,300 yen in advance and 2,800 yen (plus drink) on the door. Marz is near Seibu Shinjuku station and a link for a map for the venue is also available here (Japanese only).

Shelf Life's CD album 'Best Before End' will be on sale at both events.

If you're in town, come down and see the best before the end!

See you down the front...

New photo website launch

I'm pleased to be able to announce the launch of my new photos website - Globalism Pictures - containing images taken from my travels around the world over the last five years. Although some regular viewers of this site may be aware of it already and viewed some of the sets, I've finally completed work on it and got it up to date.

Since 2004, I had been using Sony ImageStation's services for displaying images from my travels. A few months ago, that service announced a pending closure, which encouraged me to switch to the far superior Flickr photo sharing service.

On the downside, this meant a lot of work transferring existing images and albums over to the new service. On the upside however, the new one is a much better service that allows far greater flexibility, display options and networking opportunities.

I have moved all existing albums over to Flickr now, updated a few albums with some new pictures and added seven new sets that cover some of my activities during 2007 - including the trip to Argentina (my first time in South America).

Below are some of the new images on display at the site. Clicking on the image will take you straight through to the relevant set on the new site.

If you are already a user of Flickr and would like to join Globalism Pictures' network, please add me to your Flickr Friends.

Iguazu Falls

Buenos Aires

Colonia, Uruguay

Toronto & the CN Tower

Yokohama Fireworks

Dance For Peace Japan

'A window seat, please'

Albums updated with new images are Images Of Britain, Tokyo and The West Pier.

All original albums can also be found at the site, including a large number of sets of photos of Japan, plus pictures from Korea, China, Barcelona, Dubai, Tanzania and Nepal.

'David Byrne's Survival Strategies for Emerging Artists...' (WN0009)

'What is called the music business today, however, is not the business of producing music. At some point it became the business of selling CDs in plastic cases, and that business will soon be over. But that's not bad news for music, and it's certainly not bad news for musicians. Indeed, with all the ways to reach an audience, there have never been more opportunities for artists.'

Former Talking Head David Byrne has written a fascinating article about the state of play in the music industry and opportunities for musicians today, published over at Wired.com.

In the article, he defines well what we mean when we talk about music, describes exactly what it is that record companies do and outlines six models of operation for musicians, including ways to look to the future.

These six models are as follows:

• The 'equity deal', where the artist is wholeheartedly owned by the companies and managers.
• The 'standard distribution deal', where the record company bankrolls the recording and retains the copyright forever.
• The 'license deal', similar to the above yet where the artist retains the copyrights and ownership of the master recording.
• The 'profit-sharing deal', where the artist gets a minimal advance from the label and profits are shared equally between the artist and the label.
• The 'manufacturing and distribution deal', where the artist does everything bar the manufacturing and distribution.
• The 'self-distribution model', where the music is self-produced, self-written, self-played, and self-marketed.

The article provides some invaluable advice for upcoming musicians and some very useful insights into the direction that the 'music industry' is heading. A worthwhile read for anybody interested in making a career somehow from music and many useful insights for those that already do.

The full article can be read here.